Townsville: Filipino and Australian soldiers working together successfully repelled a "notional enemy attack" during a defensive live-fire exercise held at the Townsville Field Training Area (TFTA) during this year's Exercise "Carabaroo," the Philippine Army (PA) said on Thursday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala stated that the drill took place on July 27 and emphasized that PA troops, along with a sniper squad from the Australian Army, were able to destroy notional enemies using effective firepower and maneuvers. He noted, "This served as the culminating activity of the 2026 iteration of Exercise 'Carabaroo,' the PA's largest overseas training this year."

The combined force occupied and defended a main defensive position and key terrain against a notional enemy, employing live ammunition to test the combined forces' capability to mass fires, employ obstacles, and hold the ground in a high-intensity, force-on-force scenario. Around 120 PA personnel participated in Exercise 'Carabaroo', which was set from July 14 to August 4 and hosted by the Australian Army's 1st Brigade.

The exercise is part of a broader series of Philippine Army-Australian Army engagements this year. It follows the recently concluded Philippines-Australia Army-to-Army Exercise "Kasangga" 2026-1, which was held in the Bicol Region last June.